Hypothetical Catalogue Specifications:
-
Philipps
serial or work number is unknown.
- Revolver Mechanism (roll changer) appears to be installed.
- Date or date code cast into piano harp is unknown.
- Integral case and chassis format.
- Flat belt drive for feeder (pump) crankshaft.
- Mechanical slider lock and cancel register controls.
- Uses Wurlitzer Concert PianOrchestra or Philipps Pianella
Cäecilia (P.C.) rolls.
- Tracker Scale: Pianella Cäecilia (P.C.)
- Estimated Height: 10 ft. 6 in.
Estimated Width: 6 ft. 10 in.
Estimated Depth: 3 ft. 11 in.
Estimated Shipping weight: 3200 lbs.
56 Note Musical Scale
(Hypothetical Instrumentation):
-
A
high grade (68-note) piano (with on/off register control)
- 56 Violins (30 treble + 26 bass -- wood violin pipes with brass
freins)
- 30 Violas (wood viola pipes with brass freins)
- 30 Violoncellos (wood violoncello pipes with rollers)
- 30 Flutes (8 ft. wood harmonic flute pipes)
- 30 Piccolos (4 ft. wood harmonic flute pipes)
- 30 Oboes (metal reed pipes)
- 26 Bass Violins (wood violoncello pipes with roller)
- 26 Saxophones (metal reed pipes - Bassoon)
- Chimes, 13 bars (orchestra bells)
- Snare drum (reiterating action)
- Bass drum, with cymbal
- Kettle drum (tympani effect using two beaters)
- Triangle (reiterating action)
- Tambourine (reiterating action)
- Castanets (reiterating action)
- Tremolo, controlled by on/off register (reiterating action)
Special Lighting Effects:
- The instrument features both a statue with two electric light bulbs
(located in the center niche), and a lighted "Fancy Lamp" situated at
the top center of the facade. Motive power for the "Fancy Lamp's"
rotating centerpiece would have been provided through a round leather
belt system, the small belting guided through the casework on wooden
pulleys, and connecting to the intermediate feeder pump (speed
reduction) countershaft.
Notes:
- The lowest piano octave, as is the case with all extent Concert
PianOrchestra's, was probably unison coupled.
Chronological History:
Circa 1907/1908
Manufactured by J.D. Philipps & Sons, Bockenheim, Frankfurt-am-Main,
Germany.
Circa 1908/1909
Imported and sold by Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, New York.
When examining the post card illustrated below (and dated August 6, 1909), applying
sufficient magnification reveals that the instrument pictured is definitely
a Wurlitzer Concert PianOrchestra, as the decal just underneath the roll
case door's glass panel is legible enough to discern the words "Concert
PianOrchestra." Then, peering at several hazy metallic appearing reflections
barely visible through the roll case door's glass, and by paying attention
to the spatial proximity around and between the few observable contours, it
can be inferred that the instrument was fitted with an automatic roll
changer. But due to the lack of sufficient detail, this conclusion is not
absolutely certain. High priced PianOrchestras of this vintage were
regularly shipped from the factory equipped with nothing more than a single
roll mechanism. This is because it was still often the practice to have an
attendant operate a large and fine orchestrion, playing music as requested
and paid for by the establishment's patrons. Not until the roll-changer
became a standard item in later years, circa 1910 and onward, was it
included in the advertised price. Before this time, Wurlitzer advertised it
as an option for $200.00 extra.
By carefully observing the case style, its various appointments and
relative size and depth, it is presumed that this particular instrument is
probably akin to, if not in fact, a style 31 Concert PianOrchestra. That the
case design here does not fit a known catalogue illustration is not unusual.
There are many examples of a particular model, such as the style 32, having
several very different case designs over the production span of that
particular numerical model. Some of the case variations known to have once
existed are known only by surviving photographs, happily noted as to the
style, but never included in any observed catalogues. However, until either
a Philipps or Wurlitzer catalogue surfaces that accurately depicts this
instrument, its model number will remain in doubt.
Unusual for a Concert PianOrchestra is the "Fancy Lamp" located at the
top center of the machine's facade. Nested in a sparkling cone of narrow
mirrors, the center fixture, containing an electric bulb, rotates and casts
colorful patterns of light on the matrix of silvered mirrors, producing a
Kaleidoscope of dancing colors meant to enthrall the PianOrchestra's
audience. Lighting devices like this were usually reserved for the smaller
and more brightly voiced Mandolin PianOrchestras, which featured musical
arrangements more perfectly attuned to "unrefined" and boisterous locations,
such as busy "parlors" and raucous bars. The construction of the central
rotating portion of the German made "Fancy Lamp" was later redesigned, and
it's new and more easily manufactured rotating center part was thereafter
soon copied by Wurlitzer. However, Wurlitzer's version was slightly smaller,
and it was called the "Wonderlamp." It was used predominantly in several
Wurlitzer U.S. made orchestrions, such as the Bijou Orchestra and the
popular style CX and LX type keyboard Piano Orchestras.
Soon after the Model 31 Pianella had been imported into Wurlitzer's huge
North Tonawanda, New York, factory, where Wurlitzer technicians installed
the necessary standard U.S. electrical wiring, lighting, and motor, the
newly christened Style 31 Concert PianOrchestra was probably shipped to San
Francisco's famous musical instrument dealers Kohler & Chase.
Circa 1909
Kohler & Chase, San
Francisco, California.
It is unknown how long the PianOrchestra might have been in stock,
awaiting a purchaser, although it is probably certain that the instrument
was set up in the Kohler & Chase's downtown San Francisco showroom for
display. This was the custom for such large and expensive automatic musical
instruments.
Circa 1909
The Old Louvre Cafe, San Francisco, California.
"A Corner of THE OLD LOUVRE CAFE, corner Powell and Ellis Streets,
San Francisco, showing the great WURLITZER ORCHESTRION installed by
KOHLER & CHASE." |
Nothing much is known about the Old Louvre Cafe, except that it was at
the corner of Powell and Ellis Streets, and it did contain a large Wurlitzer
Concert PianOrchestra, as well as a phone booth (left side of photograph)
and lots of tables. It is presumed that the stairway near the center of the
photograph led up to the proprietors living quarters, or, if not, perhaps
rooms for patrons to enjoy themselves and the PianOrchestra's lilting
melodies.
The white casework of the instrument looks to be clean and free of any
major damage. The base-board does show what appears to be a slight amount of
scuffing at the floor line, but only in the area below the roll case door,
which was a common condition. This is because changing the music roll
requires the operator to reach into the machine and manipulate the music
roll. During the process, it was very common for the tips of shoes to bang
into and chafe at the case along the floor-line, leaving dark streaks along
the bottom edge. Another common source of damage along the bottom edge came
from water, and from the abrasion and gouges made by mops, during careless
mopping and cleaning of the floor. Many large orchestrions suffered greatly
this way, showing extensive rot and gouging near the bottom edge. The longer
the instrument was in service, the more pronounced this kind of damage
tended to be. Thus, observing the near pristine condition of this
instrument, it is probable that the PianOrchestra was fairly new to the Old
Louvre Cafe at the time it was photographed.
"... from the Land of Bohemia," Postmarked August 7, 1909.
(Backside of the great Wurlitzer PianOrchestra post card.) |
No further historical data is currently known about either the Old Louvre
Cafe or the Wurlitzer orchestrion. However, the above Concert PianOrchestra
is presumed to have been destroyed long ago.
